Il13ra2 - interleukin 13 receptor, alpha 2

This gene encodes a receptor protein that binds to interleukin 13 (IL-13) with very high affinity. The encoded protein acts as a decoy receptor, and does not elicit any signal upon the binding of IL-13. Mice lacking the encoded protein exhibit increased levels of serum immunoglobulins, immune-dependent production of interferon gamma and, increased bone marrow macrophage progenitor frequency. Macrophages lacking the encoded protein release less nitric oxide and IL-12 in response to lipopolysaccharide. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms. [provided by RefSeq, Apr 2015]